<![CDATA[Finely Tuned Voice Lessons - Blog]]>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 13:10:22 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[​Performing Arts Camps—Summer 2025!]]>Wed, 07 May 2025 23:41:27 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/performing-arts-camps-summer-2025Louisville boasts a vibrant performing arts scene, and summer 2025 offers a variety of camps for young artists to hone their skills in theater, music, and dance. Here's a list of notable performing arts summer camps in the area:


1. StageOne Family Theatre 2. Camp Shakespeare by Kentucky Shakespeare 3. Drama by George 4. Looking for Lilith Theatre Company 5. ACT Louisville Productions
  • Ages: Entering Grade 3 through College
  • Programs: Intensive camps focusing on singing, acting, and dancing, with showcases led by industry professionals.
  • More Info: ACT Lou ProductionsACT Lou Productions
6. Classic Melodies Performance Institute  
7. Kentucky Opera Youth Opera Project
  • Ages: 8-18
  • Programs: After school on Mondays and summer camp TBA.
  • More info: https://kyopera.org/youthopera/



🌟 Additional Resources
  • Louisville Family Fun – Arts Summer Camps: A comprehensive list of arts-related summer camps in Louisville, including theater, visual arts, music, and dance. Louisville Family Fun


Plan Ahead! Many camps fill up quickly, so it's advisable to register early. Be sure to check each camp's website for the most current information on dates, fees, and registration details.
If you need assistance selecting the right camp based on your child's interests and age, feel free to ask!]]><![CDATA[AI in the studio]]>Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:09:07 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/ai-in-the-studioI recently attended the National Association of Teachers of Singing National Conference in Knoxville, TN. It was an amazing several days of learning, geeking out, and meeting some of my vocal teacher heroes. One of the coolest bits of information I gleaned was from the workshop on how AI can actually *help* musicians! 

Here are a few examples:

Do you struggle to match pitch? There's an app for that...
Erol Singer's Studio

Need to improve your sight reading?
Earmaster

Need to remove a voice to create an educational (not for performance) karaoke track?
moises.ai

A way to transcribe music into sheet music!
klang.io

Isn't this AMAZING?!?!? I'm learning to embrace new technology and see just how far we can go! 
]]><![CDATA[Amazing summer shows!]]>Sun, 28 Jul 2024 17:12:34 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/amazing-summer-showsCongratulations to our students who have been busy performing this summer!

Ella in "The Wizard of Oz"
Nicole & Avery in "Alice in Wonderland Jr" 
Jimmy who won 1st place in the Laurita Winery Competition
Kaylin in "Annie Jr"
Charlotte in a musical theater medley
​Sienna in "Amelie" & "Cinderella"

We couldn't be prouder of your performances!!! 
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]]><![CDATA[What are you doing this summer?!?]]>Wed, 08 May 2024 01:34:30 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/what-are-you-doing-this-summer​Can you believe it’s almost summer? Hello, sunshine!
 
I cannot wait for longer days, outdoor fun, and getting a jumpstart on music for the upcoming academic year. I love using summertime to think about what I should be singing in the upcoming year: choir concerts, solos, auditions, various productions, etc. I also encourage my students to think about it, too! By planning out audition songs way in advance I have more time to plan and practice. Nothing says calm, cool, and collected like feeling super prepared during an audition or concert performance! 
 
So, how can you prepare for this? Sing with me! This summer we can build your foundations in technique and learn new repertoire. On average, we can cover about 2 songs a month which amounts to 4-6 songs over the course of the summer! How cool is that?!? 
 
How would it feel to absolutely dazzle your choir teacher or drama teacher with your newfound vocal knowledge next year? Want to get cast in a bigger role in your school or community theater production? Take lessons! Students who are guided by a teacher always have a leg up…think math tutoring! From personal experience, I always scored better on tests (and my SAT!) after math tutoring sessions. It’s the same with the voice! 
 
I can’t wait to hear you sing!!! 
]]><![CDATA[Kentucky Opera's "The Pirates of Penzance"]]>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:07:54 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/kentucky-operas-the-pirates-of-penzanceMaria recently had the honor of performing with Kentucky Opera in their production of "The Pirates of Penzance!" It's a hilarious operetta about a band of tender-hearted pirates and the comedy that ensues when they intend to give up piracy and marry the beautiful daughters of a Major-General. 

Check out this article for pictures (Maria is in purple)! 

The most famous number from the operetta is
I am the very model of a Modern Major-General

You have probably heard this incredibly fast patter song before. It has been featured or quoted in the Muppets, Family Guy and even the musical Hamilton! 

Up next for Maria is Mozart's Requiem with the Philadelphia Orchestra in April. Stay tuned! 
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]]><![CDATA[It's the holiday season! Get ready to sing!!!]]>Sun, 12 Nov 2023 19:22:15 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/its-the-holiday-season-get-ready-to-singIt's a terrific time of the year! Family and friends will soon gather around the table to share a meal and give thanks. Inevitably, once your family hears that you've been taking voice lessons, they will demand a performance! There's nothing worse than the pressure to sing and not having anything prepared. It's a great time to start thinking about this in your voice lesson. You still have a couple of weeks until the big (turkey) day! 

I have a couple of "go-to" songs myself: 
O mio babbino caro for the Opera lovers
or
Till there was you for the Broadway lovers

I recommend picking out a couple of songs you could easily perform a cappella and from memory. I also highly suggest warming up the morning before your family gathering, as well. You just never know when you might need to *perform!*

]]><![CDATA[Happy Halloween!]]>Tue, 31 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/happy-halloweenWe hope you enjoy a happy and safe Halloween! Each year Finely Tuned Voice Lessons puts together a virtual costume cabaret. This year you'll see performers from Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey! Thank you for watching, and a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated! 
]]><![CDATA[It's SPOOKY SEASON, but don't be afraid to sing in public!]]>Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:49:29 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/its-spooky-season-but-dont-be-afraid-to-sing-in-publicWe hope your school year is off to a singing start! Here at Finely Tuned Voice Lessons we have had many students auditioning for select choirs, musicals, and solos already! It’s always so exciting to help folks through the process of preparing for, auditioning, and nailing a singing performance of any kind. It’s what we do best ;) 
 
While the process is super exciting, one commonality we’ve noticed is an abundance of stage fright, audition anxiety, etc. Singing in front of people is always an adrenaline-producing event, so it’s no surprise that a singer may feel some jitters. Here are a few ways to prepare for and cope with those fears:
 
  1. Focus on breathing! Breath is almost always the first thing to call it quits when we get nervous. This is terrible because breathing is the power source you need for singing! Try this exercise: breathe in for 4 SLOW beats (1-2-3-4) *hold your breath for 4 SLOW beats (1-2-3-4) and exhale for 4 SLOW beats (1-2-3-4). Repeat this exercise at least 3 times! You should feel more centered after this series. 
  2. Trust the preparation. Sometimes I get nervous if I don’t feel quite so prepared for an audition. That’s the worst feeling! The best way to prevent that feeling is to make sure the singer *knows* the notes, words, rhythms, and acting interpretation. This is not to say a singer needs to plan every little nuance, but they should give themselves the preparation time to allow their artistry to shine through in the moment. Prepare as much as possible until the main focus is what the song truly singing about: who are you singing to and why does it matter?
  3. Practice auditioning for a supportive audience. A first public run-through should not be the actual audition or performance; perform for some friendly faces first! I’ve performed for my family, friends, and even my dog to help prepare for a public performance. It really helps! 
  4. Do a proper warm-up. If the voice/body is warmed up and ready to go the singer won’t have to stress about vocal concerns the day of the audition/performance. We have a great warm-up sequence featured here. Soprano/Alto voices use the purple shirts, Tenor/Bass voices in green and the blue shirt exercises are for Treble voices or kids (but you can sing them in whatever octave suits you). 
 
We hope these tips will allow the singer to trust themselves, their voice, and their artistry! Have fun auditioning, out there! ​]]><![CDATA[5 Benefits of Voice Lessons for High Schoolers]]>Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:31:58 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/5-benefits-of-voice-lessons-for-high-schoolersThere are so many wonderful reasons to take voice lessons!  I have noticed that the following are at the top of the list when working specifically with high school students.
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​Improved test scores  
Dr. Kyle Pruett, clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, says “People who have had formal musical training tend to be pretty good at remembering information stored in memory.”  Who knew that you could train for the SAT/ACT away from a book and desk?
 
Encourages collaboration and communication skills 
Singers rarely perform alone.  Typically, they collaborate with a pianist, guitarist or another instrumentalist.  This act of collaboration practices the social skills required to communicate effectively with someone.  I have seen high school students make tremendous strides in their communication and their listening ability by taking just a few private voice lessons.
 
It teaches discipline
They say that practice makes perfect, but I have learned that practice makes permanent. What you practice with your voice will become second nature.  Practicing also requires a bit of a self-starting attitude, as sometimes practice isn’t fun at first.  I define Finely Tuned as "making precise adjustments for optimal performance."   Once a student internalizes how to Finely Tune their voice in lessons, they can then apply these same principles to other activities in their lives.
 
It promotes self awareness 
Let’s face it…what high school student couldn’t benefit from a little bump up in their self-awareness? These can be trying years, but learning how to sing creates self-awareness by noticing and recognizing how you create specific sounds using your body.
 
It forces the brain to work harder
A singer must use many parts of the brain to create their art.  They are constantly internalizing notes, words, and rhythms, all while trying to convey a message. This is multi-tasking at its finest! The focus required to take a private voice lesson forces a student to be engaged the whole time, as opposed to hiding in a class with 30 other people as so many high school students do in band or chorus classes. 
 
The Bottom line: Taking private voice lessons not only allows high school student to pursue a hobby, but also helps them develop habits that are applicable to everything they do in life.  Visit our Voice Lessons page to learn more about our approach.

About Finely Tuned Voice Lessons:
Finely Tuned Voice Lessons (FTVL) is a private music studio located in Mercer County, NJ.  Our studio offers 5-star rated private voice lessons to singers of all ages and abilities, with a special emphasis on high school students. You can learn more about about our voice studio by visiting our website, sending us at an email at finelytunedvoice@gmail.com.]]><![CDATA[Hello, Kentucky!]]>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 01:30:53 GMThttps://www.finelytunedvoicelessonslouisville.com/blog/hello-kentuckyMy family and I have moved to Louisville, KY and I am very excited to welcome singers into the studio for in person lessons! 

I offer voice lessons (singing lessons) to anyone regardless of age or ability, but I truly specialize in middle school and high school singers. I love preparing singers for musical auditions of all kinds: choir, jazz, musical theatre, pop, regional/state chorus, etc. 

Come take a lesson with me, I can't wait to hear you! 
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